Valith: New Beginnings
by NightcatMau
Summary: When Valkyrie and Tanith find themselves adrift with no one to love, will Valkyrie accept Tanith's new feelings for her? Reposted by reader request. COMPLETE-ISH
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I don't own Ghastly, Skulduggery, Valkyrie or Tanith. This is set in a world where Ghastly and Skulduggery have both passed on leaving our two heroines alone. But Val is in her 20s at least.

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In my dream I was walking down a street I'd never seen before. It seemed to be fall, almost Halloween. It had to be from all the pumpkin decorations, corn stalks and hay bales. Someone was walking with me and I realized with a start it was Ghastly. "About time you came over to see me." He said, smiling.

"Came over?"

"To the land of the dead. We watch the living, you know. I've been watching over you and Tanith. How come you aren't seeing her? She likes you, the Remnant's out." He stopped to face me, arms crossed, face serious. I couldn't speak, just looked at the ground and felt his big hands come to rest gently on my shoulders. "Val, she needs you. She's in love with you. I know it feels weird considering she left as your sister, but it happens. I can't be there for her now, but you can. OK?" I nodded trying not to cry at the soothingly understanding tone in his voice.

Ghastly took a pendant from under his shirt and draped it around my neck. It looked like a windrose, only half was missing. "Here, you two are going to need this. I gave the other half to Tanith so you two would know this isn't just a dream. She's going to drag you on a vacation, and trust me, you will need this. Be careful out there, OK?" He bundled me into a hug and I awoke to find the pendant around my neck.

A rap at my window frightened me since there was no longer a Skulduggery to do it. I looked over and saw Tanith crouched on the sill, the other half of the windrose pendant hanging around her neck. I let her in, sure I must still be dreaming. She smiled shyly, then took her pedant off and fitted it into mine. The two halves slid together and there was a flash of light. When I could open my eyes again we were standing in an alley.

I looked down, thankful I'd taken to sleeping in the protective clothes Ghastly had made me. We walked out onto the street and gasped. "I wanted to take you to breakfast." Tanith said then turned to me with an excited grin.

"I know, it was like I could read your mind and I saw this place. My God, I think we teleported because we both wanted to come. But since when can I read your thoughts?"

"I wanted you to, I think it is the pendants. Let's hide them, OK?" She asked and I nodded slipping mine under my shirt as she did the same. She wore more relaxed clothing now, having retired from Sanctuaries to process her loss and of course try to help me with mine. We'd both lost the men we loved the most and I still wondered if our kiss hadn't been from that loss.

But as we sat down to breakfast and she dazzled me with her bright blue eyes I found myself forgetting to care. Maybe she did feel something for me. Tanith reached out and touched my hand gently. "It's OK, you know. I understand you not loving me back because I'm a woman. I really do. And I wasn't trying to show you how I felt because I lost Ghastly either. I loved him, but not like this. Not the way I feel for you."

I looked up at her trying to find the courage to respond. To tell her I did love her and that I hoped the vacation part of the dream was real as well. Because maybe if we spent enough time together I'd listen to my heart and not the judgments of other people.

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**OK I wanted to make a story for them with just one page chapters.**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I don't own Tanith, Valkyrie, Skulduggery or Ghastly.

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I smiled and took Tanith's hand in mine. "He said you liked me and I know I like you too, Tanith. You're sweet and funny, and you act like a three-year-old on a sugar high, but I like that about you." I said squeezing her hand and she squealed happily and bounced in her seat. Our menus came and we ordered, Tanith raising an eyebrow at my getting tea.

"I thought you hated tea."

"Eh, it's OK. I guess seeing Ghastly again made me want some." I paused and smiled. "It's OK that you're still in love with him, you know, I expect you to be." I said gently and she blushed then nodded.

"Yeah, and you know I feel the same way about you loving Skulduggery. I never want you to stop loving him either, he was a good man." I snorted laughter and she looked shocked.

"He was Dead Man and they were all rotten men. But I can say that since I am one. Worst brothers a girl ever had." I said fondly and she giggled. Our breakfast came and Tanith was very sweet and considerate with me. And I knew I had to choose being with her and tell the world to go hang itself. We talked about the missions I'd been on with both men and it was a fun first date.

Tanith smiled as we exited the diner we'd eaten at. Zipping up her leather bomber jacket against the cold she turned to face me. "Uh, did he tell you about a vacation?" She asked shyly, stuffing her hands in her pockets and looking down at the ground.

"Yes, and yes I'd love to go with you. You're my girl, right?" I asked and she squealed happily, then tackled me.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! So do you want to fly, or just use these?" She fished her pendant out and I shrugged.

"Ghastly knew we'd need them, so it is up to you. I have no idea if they need to recharge, but we do need them to get me home to the mansion so I can pack. If there's going to be trouble, you'll need your sword so maybe they are a better way to travel. Do you want to leave tomorrow? Somehow that feels right." I said and she nodded then hugged me close.

We walked back into the alley and I knew these pendants were a risk. Sure people disappeared all the time and it wasn't magic, but we were risking exposing magic. I didn't care though as we joined the halves and the same flash of light came and we found ourselves back in the mansion. Tanith smiled fondly at me, then bit her lip for a second. I could tell she was just as scared and shy as I felt so I leaned in and kissed her gently.

She giggled and we parted quickly, but it had been nice. "Until tomorrow then." She said going to the window.

"Until tomorrow." I agreed as she climbed out, then beckoned me over so I could watch her walk down the side of the mansion backwards a huge grin on her face. She gave me a wink, flipped off the wall and was racing off to her bike. I smiled and shook my head wondering how I'd ever sleep knowing that we'd be leaving the next day.

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**Those two are so cute together!**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I don't own Tanith, Valkyrie, Ghastly or Skulduggery.

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I had just finished getting packed the next morning when a rap came on my window, I smiled and went over to let Tanith in. She gave me a wicked grin, then a wink. "Brought us breakfast." She said, handing in a paper sack.

"That is so sweet of you." I said, kissing her in thanks. She smiled as we parted then was bouncing on the bed, looking at me as she grinned. "How much sugar have you had this morning?" I asked and she giggled.

"None, I'm just so excited to be going! A real vacation, just the two of us, being all touristy. Just wait until you see where we're going. You'll love it, it's so romantic. Ohhh, should we pack scented candles and massage oil?" She teased and I blushed mightily.

"Tanith! Bad girl! Thanks for breakfast though, that was sweet of you. Help yourself to some coffee." I nodded at the brewing pot on my nightstand and her eyes bugged out. I shrugged. "Sleep is overrated. But here, let's eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we shall die-it." She giggled at the bad joke and I smiled.

I loved Tanith because I could make her laugh. As beautiful as she was, she wasn't stuck up or snobby. She was never cruel or petty with me like so many girls had been. But I put my sad memories aside as we tore into still hot doughnuts and drank coffee. Tanith smiled at me then spoke. "Thanks for being a cheap date, Val. Frankly I was afraid that, well-"

"You were getting a high maintenence girl?" I asked and she blushed and nodded. "Tanny, I'm lucky if I remember to put on make up, ever. Besides you _did_ buy us breakfast, that's twice in a row, next time is my treat, OK? I want to take care of you too, you know." Tears misted her eyes and I was shocked. "What?" I asked gently and she shook her head, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. I went to her and put my arm around her as I held her hand. "You so don't get to be the guy here and have to play male provider twenty-four seven, OK? Let me take care of you once in a while. I want to. I love you, Tanith. Let me take care of you."

She sniffed and raised her head. "I've just- I've been on my own so long-" She started to cry then and I held her as she continued. "When Ghastly died, I- I love you so much, Valkyrie." She hugged me tightly and I held her just as tight.

"I know." I said through my own tears. "When Skulduggery died I promised myself I'd never fall in love again. But I did, with you. I love you Tanith and I want to be with you. I'm ready. You don't have to be alone anymore." She smiled at me and nodded bravely. Without a word we got our bags and joined our pendants and she drug me into a searing kiss.

I closed my eyes, reveling in her sweetness willing us to travel to the wonderland she was showing me in my mind as my arms wrapped around her. And when my eyes opened we were in a small cobblestone-lined alley. I grinned at her and we both laughed. "We did it, Tanith! We really did it!" I said and grabbed her in a tight hug, then took her hand and proudly walked out onto the street with my best friend, my living treasure, vowing to never let her go.

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**OMG, that was so cute a kitten just spontaneously appeared on my desk. For reals! **


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Tanith, Ghastly, Skulduggery, Meritorious or Anton. Since someone asked, this is set in a different world from the novels where things played out much differently. Val is still in her 20s, story is still in her POV.

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We walked out onto the street and I gasped in wonder. It was the street from my dreams, exactly, down to the charming houses and Halloween decorations. I watched people walking by dress in blue uniforms, another group wore grey. I looked at Tanith. "Where are we?" I asked.

"Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. You are going to love this place, Valkyrie, I swear. I found the most charming bed and breakfast-" My mobile rang, cutting her off and I fished it out of my pocket, answering without a thought. I could still be on call, so could she, vacation and time off or not.

"Hello?" I asked. A warm voice answered, a warm, loving voice that instantly let me know things were serious if he called. Grand Mage Meritorious might have mellowed to the point where treated me like a beloved granddaughter, but he never rang me if it wasn't important.

"Valkyrie? How are you enjoying your vacation? Alas, no time for you to answer. Look at your pendants. You'll see the centers now have half a gem each. Press them." I did and Tanith followed suit. "Done? Good. Now join the halves. It will take you to the land of the dead. Hurry, American Sanctuary agents are closing in." I didn't even ask how he knew, he always knew everything. We joined the pendants and in a flash were in the land of the dead.

At least I thought we were. Honestly it looked exactly the same as the street we'd just left. Then I saw Ghastly and Skulduggery walking towards us and I knew we were there. Tanith made a sound between a laugh and a cry as they approached and I smiled at her. "Go to him." I said, but she shook her head and grabbed my hand instead. The men reached us, both smiling. Skulduggery titled his head at me, clearly grinning.

"Not even a hug for an old friend?" He asked. "I see how it is." He teased and I laughed and stepped forward to hug him. We were still friends, best friends, even if I was still angry at him for dying on me. Ghastly gathered me up in a tight hug next, and I thought he'd never let go.

"I've missed you, Val." He said, at last letting go and smiling at me fondly. He smiled at Tanith who was keeping a polite distance. "I'm happy you two are together, Tanith. So is Skulduggery. We've got rooms for you at a bed and breakfast we're staying at." He took Skulduggery's hand then and I tried not to snort laughter at the shock on Tanith's face.

"Surprise!" Skulduggery said cheerfully. I did laugh then as Tanith let Ghastly gather her into a hug. An amused Skulduggery continued. "What are the chances of four bis staying at the same B and B? Come along then, we'll buy you girls lunch and get you settled in."

"What about your wife and kid?" I asked as we walked along and he laughed.

"The dead watch the living, remember? It was either my being homicidal or my being in love with Ghastly but they disowned me. Ah, well. But my wife moved on anyhow. Took up with a lady potter." He said, holding the gate open that led to the most charming B and B I'd ever seen.

We went in to have our bags checked and I took one look at the proprietor and caught him in a massive hug. "Anton, it's so good to see you again!"

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I **am so not planning the pairings, they are just coming out (you can read that however you want) the way they are.**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Tanith, Ghastly Skulduggery or Anton.

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Anton grinned at me. "Same here, Val. You''re already checked in and my wife is serving lunch now. I'll take your bags to your room." He smiled as we set down our bags at the front desk, then the men led us into a small dining room.

"His wife is a wonderful cook." Ghastly assured us. "Luckily you two arrived just in time." A woman entered smiling at us and I smiled in return. She was tall, wearing a simple black dress that looked like it matched Anton's suit and she was very beautiful. Her long silver hair was piled high on top of her head and I knew instantly Anton had fallen in love with one of the shidhe. She smiled warmly. I guessed instantly that she was a hearth spirit and her softening influence explained the bed and breakfast.

"Hello, and welcome, both of you. My name is Cara. Anton has told me so many stories about his friends. I'll have lunch ready in an instant, and the kitchen will be left open for you, day or night." She smiled and continued. "Please, if you need anything don't hesitate to ask me. Anton on the other hand-" She shrugged and laughed, a tinkling sound like bells. I liked her.

Tanith looked fascinated. "I'm sorry if I'm staring. We just never expected Anton to get married." She said and it was the truth though I'd had no idea she knew Anton other than my stories. An uneasy feeling came over me, like someone walking over my grave. Did she have a past with him as well?

Cara smiled. "A lot of people tell me that actually." She turned to me. "Would you be kind enough to help me, my dear?" She asked and I nodded and followed her into a snug kitchen where the aroma of freshly baked bread and homemade soup made my mouth water. "Would you be so kind as to put the soup tureen on the cart for me, dear?" I did and she smiled coming over to take my hands in hers. "You can trust her with your heart, you know. She's a good woman and serious about you. She will not stray."

I nodded dumbly. What could I possibly say to that? She had no idea the kind of reputation Tanith had. Cara smiled gently and continued. "Your pendants are a gift from the sidhe my dear. If you weren't with your true love, they wouldn't work. She is in love with you, you know." And the way Tanith's eyes shone when I rejoined her I believed Cara. Tanith gave me an affectionate nuzzle as Cara served us and the older woman smiled at the sight. She gave me a wink then turned and bustled out of the room.

Skulduggery turned to me, amused. "None of us thought Anton would get married again. You'll love the food here, even I like it." He said, then started in on his soup. I watched, fascinated, he was still a skeleton. He paused to grin at me. "I've no idea where it goes either, only that I can eat over here. And I've been making up for lost time." He grinned and turned back to his soup.

Tanith and I exchanged surprised glances. Curiouser and curiouser. Belatedly I remembered the warning about not eating in the land of the dead that I'd been told in a million tales and just hoped we wouldn't return to find that centuries had passed.

Of course if everything was this nice, I didn't know if we would want to return. Tanith seemed to think the same thing as she played with the ginger cat we found in the garden later. She grinned up at me from where she say with him on her lap. "I told you our vacation would be fun." She said.

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**Note: Cara means friend.**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I don't own Tanith, Valkyrie, Ghastly, Anton or Skulduggery.

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I sat down beside Tanith, kissing her gently and she smiled and blushed. "I'm glad I came. And I mean that. You know, I'd honestly stay here if it were possible. It seems so peaceful." Tanith nodded happily, then shifted on the bench, obliging me and the cat with a cuddle. I leaned into her warmth and closed my eyes as she stroked my hair. The cat curled up in my lap and the only thing that would have made it better was a cup of tea. Oddly enough I could smell it. "Tea?" A masculine voice asked and I opened my eyes to find Ghastly and Skulduggery in front of us.

We both took tea and the men settled in opposite us. "Before you ask, I only knew to give you girls the necklaces. I have no idea why you're here. But I'm glad you are. I've missed you so much, Val. You're like a daughter to me." Ghastly said and I smiled gently at him.

"Now you tell me." I teased and he laughed. "I hate to ask, but do you know if we can stay?" Ghastly shrugged but Skulduggery nodded.

"No one else will tell you this, but technically you're dead right now. The pendants brought your bodies over, but you died the instant you came over." I looked at Tanith who grinned at me.

"Told you it would be an adventure." She said with a grin, then leaned in to kiss me softly. She looked at the men then. "OK, another question. Where do we live, what do we do for money?"

"You are guests here as long as you like, and there is no money here. You could make your own house just by willing it, but we'd much rather you'd stayed." Anton said, joining us. I smiled at him uncertainly.

"Are you, OK? I seem to remember you being the more sarcastic version of Skulduggery." I said and he laughed.

"Oh, I still am, but Cara really mellowed me out. And you are still as polite as Ghastly. You haven't mentioned the obvious age difference, but I always liked older women." Anton said as Cara joined us to stand behind him. Anton took her hand and smiled up at her in utter adoration and I was happy one of my best friends had found true love at last.

Cara for her part looked adoringly at Anton, then smiled at all of us. "I've heard so much about all of you that I'll be honoured to have you as guests in our home. Oh, we do take other guests who do pass through, but we'd much rather you four became family." I looked at Tanith who grinned hugely and we nodded as a couple. "Wonderful." She said when the men nodded as well. "We've always wanted to have a family, both of us." She said as Anton drew her onto his lap.

Tanith touched my shoulder gently and I turned to her. She bit her lip and ran a hand through her long blond hair nervously. "Valkyrie, I know this is sudden, but we have a chance at a new life here. And I'm not sure if you are going to like what I'm going to ask, but I'm going to anyways." She was actually shaking as she held my hand and my heart softened. Then she got down on one knee at it stopped. "Valkyrie Cain, will you marry me?" She asked, producing a beautiful silver ring out of her pocket. It caught the light and I though it was the most wonderful ring I'd ever seen. But could I really accept it?

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**Oh, a cliffy! Will Val accept or reject the proposal?**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I don't own Valkyrie, Tanith or Skulduggery.

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I looked into Tanith's eyes and couldn't speak. I tried again and got a pathetic squeak, so I settled for nodding, a stupid grin on my face. Tanith smiled as she slipped the ring on then squealed and tackled me in a bone-crushing hug, getting another squeak out of me. "You're so cute when you squeak." She said, cuddling into me and I giggled and blushed, well aware we had an audience. She just smiled smugly putting a possessive arm around me. "You're all mine now." She purred in my ear and I blushed even more.

I ducked my head and she kissed me chastely on the cheek, still grinning. Tanith smiled fondly at me. "You don't know how happy you just made me, Valkyrie. I mean that. You're the one I want to spend eternity with." She said softly and I cuddled deeper into her embrace, trying my best to ignore the delighted sounds coming from our friends.

Cara beckoned us with a crooked finger and we followed her. She led us to our room, something more like a cozy apartment. There was a fire going in the fireplace and the canopied bed looked inviting. Tanith smiled as she slipped her arms around my waist and we took everything in. "You girls have a couch and a TV, your table there for when you want to eat in. I'll leave you to it then, oh, through the one door is your bath and a small kitchen through the other. Kettle and mugs on the table there by the window. Enjoy." And with the she was gone.

Tanith smiled at my shyly. "This is wonderful, isn't it? Our own place, we have our friends nearby. We can honeymoon for centuries if we want." I turned and put my arms around her neck, feeling the contented smile on my face. "I love you, you do accept, right? You weren't just sparing my feelings?" She asked worriedly and I drew her into a kiss, enjoying how sweet and gentle she always was with me.

I pulled back to smile at her. "Of course I accept. I love you too. I just never thought I'd be marrying anyone as beautiful as you." I said, blinking back happy tears. "I wish I had a ring for you though, you deserve one." Then a thought came to me. We were dead. In a world that knew no suffering or pain, no crime. I slipped off my Necromancy ring and put it on her finger. "I give you my permission to use this if you ever need to."

Tanith looked at her finger, stunned. "But Valkyrie, your ring is priceless to you. You're never without it. I couldn't possibly-" I stopped her with a chaste kiss.

"Yes, you can. You mean everything to me. I still have no idea if the Grand Mage knew we'd end up permanent residents, but I'm happy he called. It would have been centuries in the gaol or maybe still dying and somehow not finding you otherwise. I'd be lost without you. Keep the ring, please?" She nodded and smiled and I felt at peace.

We cuddled on the couch with mugs of tea, conspiring about our wedding late into the night and when we at last did go to bed it was only to sleep next to one another, knowing we could afford to wait until we were married. I wondered sleepily what the future would be like. We seemed to be accepted and loved here. And I trusted Tanith to be loyal but a disturbing thought crept into my head before sleep claimed me. Skulduggery was here and things never went this easily for us.

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**Valkyrie really enjoys borrowing trouble, but most likely she is right. As always let me know if you want to see more. And yes, when I don't get reviews I tend to let stories go dark. Originally this got very dark and Val ended up abandoned. So yes, your reviews do matter.**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I don't own Tanith, Valkyrie, Ghastly or Skulduggery.

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Tanith had decided that a Christmas wedding would be lovely and I agreed. It gave Ghastly time to work on our dresses, something he insisted on. "Sure I can just want them for you ladies and they'll appear, but I still enjoy doing things the long way." He said gently when we protested. So we accepted, and we all agreed then on a double wedding. Which meant that Tanith and I could shop to our hearts' content, though we were still surprised that there was truly no money involved.

We found a charming shop that had nesting dolls imported from Russia and other gifts, and they had some lovely tea sets as well. "I had no idea Americans drank tea." I said and the proprietress laughed good naturedly.

"This is Gettysburg, honey. We have several tea houses. After you ladies shop why not stop by one? Wish I could recommend a ghost walk as well, but we tried them here and just staring at everyone else just isn't the same." She laughed good naturedly again and helped us pick out a suitable tea set for the men.

We did stop at a tea house, and had a delightful day all things considered. As we returned to the cottage the men met us, heading out for dinner. Cara after all needed time off like everyone else so we stowed our things and went to dinner at a local tavern. The actual soldier who haunted in in the world of the living greeted us warmly, and we all ordered the steaks.

Skulduggery sat across from me and smiled as I took in the fact that a lot of skeletons and ghosts dined around us. "You have no idea how much adjusting I had to do, Valkyrie. I'm no longer unique here. Oh, woe is me. " I laughed and he grinned.

"Do you miss anything?" I asked and he shook his head.

"If we wanted they have things here like, well, I hate to admit I ever watched it, but like the holodecks in Star Trek. I could solve cases forever, but I truly don't miss it. I have a Bentley here, and time to travel and live in peace at last. I rather like it."

"That sounds amazing, there's really no crime, ever?" Tanith asked, perking up considerably.

"None." Ghastly assured us. "There are no Sanctuaries, no jails. Mortal and mage can live in peace over here since we're all equal. Trust me, we thought it was too good to be true too after a lifetime of hiding magic, but it is true."

"For once I won't be dragging you into trouble." Skulduggery said, smiling at me fondly.

"You didn't drag me anywhere, I held your hat hostage if I recall correctly."

"I loved that hat. Of course had I known how annoying and insulting you'd be I'd have let you keep it." He teased.

"Shut up, Skulduggery." I growled.

"Yes, dear."

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**Those two can't be together for twenty seconds without squabbling, can they?**


End file.
